- By Priyanka Koul
- Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Puducherry Election 2026: Voting began in Puducherry at 7 am for all 30 Assembly seats, with a total of 1,014,070 voters eligible to cast their ballots. The contest features the ruling NDA, comprising the All India NR Congress (AINRC) and the BJP, against the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular.
The NDA, led by Chief Minister and AINRC founder N Rangasamy, is aiming for a second consecutive term. On the other side, the Congress and DMK are looking to regain power in the Union Territory.
It is worth noting that Puducherry has a 33-member Assembly, of which 30 members are elected, while three are nominated by the Centre.
Can Congress make a comeback?
Puducherry has not re-elected a government since the Congress in 2006. In 2011, Rangasamy, a former Congress member, launched the AINRC, which went on to form the government soon after.
The Congress returned to power in 2016, but in 2021, the AINRC-BJP alliance secured victory, winning 16 seats, which are enough to form the government. Notably, it was their first election together, and they managed to unseat the Congress.
The first Assembly elections in 1964 saw the Congress dominate with 22 out of 30 seats. By 1969, the DMK emerged as a major force, reflecting the growing influence of Dravidian politics from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
In 1974, the AIADMK rose to prominence, marking the beginning of a more competitive, multi-party political landscape. The Congress regained power in 1980 with 20 seats, but by 1985, a coalition government had begun to take shape.
In 1996, a DMK-led alliance swept the polls with 21 seats, followed by a Congress-DMK government in 2001. The Congress managed to stay in power through alliances until 2006.
In the 2026 election, despite contesting for 16 seats, Congress faces challenges around key issues such as statehood and local development.
On the alliance front, the NDA includes the AINRC contesting 16 seats, the BJP fielding candidates in 10, and the AIADMK and LJP contesting two seats each.
The INDIA bloc comprises the Congress, contesting 16 seats, and the DMK, contesting 14. Meanwhile, the VCK, part of Tamil Nadu’s Secular Progressive Alliance, has chosen to contest three seats independently after being offered only one.
A Look At Past 2021, 2016 Poll Results
In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly Elections, AINRC emerged as the largest party with 10 seats, followed by DMK with six seats, while BJP and Congress won six seats each. The voter turnout was recorded at 84.8 per cent.
While in the 2016 elections, Congress had secured a majority with 15 seats, AINRC won eight seats, AIADMK bagged four seats, and DMK got two seats, with voter turnout at 83.6 per cent.
The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15. The counting of votes will be held on May 4, the ECI announced.